16 responses to “Diabetes and exercise”

  1. This will definitely bring earlier gratification to those people whose goals are to lose hundreds of pounds and may otherwise see no dramatic benefit to their changes in diet. It is still possible to feel great – or at least better – while still being overweight. Exercise will certainly provide benefit long before the weight is (if ever) gone!

  2. Excellent thoughtful article.
    I was aware of Dr. Mike Evans’ video 23-1/2 hours. Another doctor had set up a quick link to it at:
    http://tinyurl.com/couchp2
    I incorporate it into my “EXERCISE PRESCRIPTION” which I write to my patient. I am able to store this a personal favorite prescription which is able to be chosen in the same way as a drug and printed out on a prescription form.

    With Dr. Farquhar’s suggestions, I have modified my prescription now to state:

    EXERCISE PRESCRIPTION
    Frequency: 5 days/week
    Intensity: moderate to vigorous (i.e. can converse without being overly short of breath)
    Time: 30 mins per day
    Type: Aerobic 5 day/week, Resistance 3 days/week

    Before you start your exercise program, please watch this 10 minute video on the benefits of exercise at: http://tinyurl.com/couchp22

  3. Makes sense, perhaps more doable for most patients.

  4. Be sure to check out the 23 1/2 hours video referenced above at http://www.myfavouritemedicine.com/ — it’s truly inspiring and a great motivator for both docs and patients!

  5. This doable and works quite well with my patients, much easirer in May than November….

  6. Great ideas on exercise and diabetes and well supported and amplified by Dr. Mike Evans video 23 and 1/2 hours for all health benefits.
    thanks for the link.

  7. very good, I always tell patient to walk 1 hour a day 3times a week, now
    i will tell them 5 times a week.

  8. 30 mn a day would be good for most patient.

  9. Excellent summary of an entirely do-able approach in the office. Part of what we do every day is a coaching function to help folks stay motivated to be more active.

  10. I feel very strongly about this and promote exercise to anyone that will listen. I speak regularly to a successful weight loss program that is run by a local Nurse Practitioner. I have spoken to groups at the annual Health Fair in town. I think that exercise should, along with other healthy lifestyle choices be taught as an important component of therapeutics in medical school. Most of the chronic disease that we see day to day in our offices is a consequence of poor lifestyle choices. I think that if our health care system is to survive these issues must be addressed and I think many heaklth care providers need to begin dealing with this in their own lives. Thanks for the excellent article.

  11. How effective is your aproch in the treatment of your patient?

  12. I agree that the focus on diet has been far too overdone at the expense of increased physical activity. And though it’s better to be fat and fit than slim and unfit, caloric intake must still match output to prevent continuing fat lay down. So diet is important, but it’s focus in practise, needs to be modified.
    From personal experience, regular exercise often leads to less focus on food, translating to less calorie intake.
    Therefore I think, healthcare providers must advocate both diet and regular exercise, but shift the focus of diet from weight loss to nutritionally adequate intake (i.e. Avoiding empty high calorie or high fat foods)

  13. This article gives me one more piece of information to pass on to my patients about the importance of exercise despite the fact that they may not notice a huge weight loss. It is better to be overweight and fit than lean and not fit is an encouraging message to give to patients who are frustrated with their attempts to lose weight.

  14. I think we are still looking for that one bullet/pill that gives the most benefit. Health and disease is multifactorial. There is not one thing that keeps you healthy or one thing that keeps diabetes away. I believe diet, exercise, stress reduction, supplements, positive thinking, and medications are important in diabetes. Each personality is different, and will be attracted to his/her own path to follow. Our aim is to provide good advise based on good evidence as we know it so that they can make informed decisions. As everybody knows what was taught 20 years ago and what is taught now has changed and some concepts have come a full circle.

  15. I work n the wt loss business – diet in my opinion is far more important than exercise and the change in body image resulting from wt loss encourages people to take up exercise

  16. i agree

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